


Snowpaw

by ThePunkRanger



Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bluestar is still in her funk, Fix-It, Gen, Original Arc, Snowkit survives, Warrior Ceremony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:35:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,302
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25002490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThePunkRanger/pseuds/ThePunkRanger
Summary: Snowkit survived the hawk attack, but now Fireheart is left trying to decide how best to work with a deaf kit in the clan.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 64





	Snowpaw

Fireheart sat near the fresh-kill pile, his eyes locked on the scene in front of him.

Snowkit had been allowed to leave the medicine den only this morning, on Cinderpelt’s word that he was healed well enough from the gouges of the hawk’s talons to get some exercise outside of the den, and already Speckletail was beside her kit, crouched down in an attempt to teach him a hunting crouch.

Fireheart felt his heart sink as he watched Snowkit pounce on his mother’s paws, oblivious to her efforts.

He had hoped that after the hawk attack, and coming so close to losing Snowkit, Speckletail would have given up on trying to groom the little kit into the life of a warrior. However, it seemed as though the queen wasn’t going to give up easily.

As he sat pondering what to do, he saw Brackenfur padding up to the pair. His ears pricked. Brackenfur had shown an interest in Snowkit for a while now, even asking to mentor the kit before they had learned of his deafness.

Now, Brackenfur greeted Speckletail confidently, moving in front of Snowkit deliberately before leaning down to give his ears a lick in greeting.

Fireheart was too far away to hear their words, but he could see Brackenfur talking excitedly with Speckletail.

Speckletail nodded in assent, and moved so that she stood a few tail-lengths in front of Snowkit. Brackenfur crouched at Snowkit’s side, directing the little kit’s attention to his mother with a tip of his nose.

Speckletail dropped once more into a hunting crouch, and stayed there, perfectly still, her side turned to her son.

Brackenfur copied her at Snowkit’s side for a moment, then sat up, and began using his paws and muzzle to gently nudge Snowkit into a copy of Speckletail’s position.

Once the kit was properly positioned, Brackenfur crouched back down beside him, and Speckletail began to creep forward, slowly and silently.

Brackenfur did as well, moving over the floor of the camp as quietly as a breeze.

Snowkit seemed to have picked up that he was to follow suit, and tried to copy the older cats. His paws crackled through the dry debris of the hollow floor, and he quickened his pace until he landed on Brackenfur’s tail with a thud.

Brackenfur jumped, then purred as he saw Snowkit begin to bat at his tail tip with his back paws.

Patiently, the warrior flicked his tail out of Snowkit’s grip and nudged him back into a hunting crouch.

This time, he moved slowly, and with exaggeration. He raised a single paw, slid it forward barely a mouse-length, and held it there, making sure that Snowkit could see that his paw hovered over the earth.

To Fireheart’s amazement, Snowkit copied him. The kit raised a paw so that it barely skimmed the ground, and then slid it forward, in a perfect mirror of Brackenfur.

Speckletail rushed forward, purring as she began covering Snowkit’s head in licks.

Brackenfur straightened up, obviously just as pleased. When Speckletail didn’t acknowledge him again, though, he turned and began making his way toward the fresh-kill pile.

“Brackenfur!” Fireheart called, his mind racing with new ideas, “Could I have a word?”

—

Fireheart stared up at the highrock, feeling his pelt prickle with uncertainty. The surety he had in his plan was one thing, but the idea of going through with it without the knowledge of Bluestar was something else entirely.

He glanced at his leader’s den, unscreened by the lichen that once hung there. He had not seen Bluestar all morning, though that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t be out of her den in an instant once she caught on to his plan.

Still, he hadn’t been able to bring himself to bring it up to her. Bluestar had been so unpredictable, so prickly lately, that he had no doubts what she would have said to his idea.

Letting out a deep breath, Fireheart sprang up onto the highrock, his heart pounding as he gazed down into the clearing.

His paws prickled as he started the age old summons, “May all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather here beneath the highrock for a clan meeting!”

As his clanmates began to wander into the heart of the camp, he saw Speckletail pushing Snowkit forward, his pelt sticking to his sides, freshly groomed.

He refused to look and see if Bluestar had emerged from her den, instead focusing on the cats below him.

“Snowkit has reached his sixth moon, and according to clan tradition, he is now to start his apprenticeship.”

A wave of hushed murmuring broke out among the assembled cats, and he saw Darkstripe’s hackles begin to rise.

“From-“ Fireheart stopped to clear his throat, “From this moment forward, until he has earned his warrior name, this apprentice shall be known as Snowpaw.” He spoke the words directly to the apprentice, hoping that somehow he would understand the weight of what was happening. After a beat of silence, he continued. “Brackenfur, your patience and ingenuity with Snowpaw has already shown itself to be a great asset, and I hope you will continue to follow your heart’s wisdom in his training.” Fireheart locked eyes with the young warrior, “I know you will make him into a warrior that ThunderClan can be proud of.”

Brackenfur purred as he leaned down to touch noses with Snowpaw. The new apprentice purred back, his eyes bright with excitement over all of the attention.

“Snowpaw!” Speckletail’s voice rang out in the uncertain silence of the camp.

“Snowpaw!” Cinderpelt echoed from her place near the edge of the gathered cats.

Soon, the rest of the clan had joined in, calling out the new apprentice’s name.

As the clan began to disperse, Brackenfur nudged Snowpaw, and laid his tail on the young cat’s back as he led him toward the apprentice’s den.

“Fireheart!”

Fireheart flinched, and looked down to see Bluestar glaring up at him from below the highrock.

He sighed, and leapt down, readying himself to face his leader.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Bluestar spat, her hackles standing on end.

“It was time for Snowpaw to become an apprentice.” Fireheart replied evenly.

“I thought I had made it clear that Snowpaw would never be an apprentice!” Bluestar’s yowl was harsh, and Fireheart prayed to StarClan that Speckletail wouldn’t hear. “He will never be able to learn the ways of a warrior!”

“Funny,” Fireheart muttered darkly, feeling an old resentment bubble up in his chest, “I seem to remember cats saying the same thing about me.”

Bluestar shook her head crossly. “You were different.”

Fireheart’s eye was caught by movement over at the apprentice’s den, and he glanced over Bluestar to see Brightpaw, standing beside Snowpaw as she pointed with her nose and tail to the different areas of his new den.

Cloudpaw bounded up to them, and nudged Snowpaw good-naturedly, but roughly enough that the little cat was nearly bowled over.

Snowpaw turned and gave his new denmate a quick cuff on the ear with a sheathed paw.

Fireheart felt a purr rumble in his chest. “Bluestar,” he said, confidence leveling his voice, “Snowpaw may not be cut out to be a warrior, but he deserves the chance to prove himself to the clan, just like I did. If he ends up not being able to become a warrior, then we can deal with that, but for now, I want to make sure that every cat,” he stared Bluestar dead in the eyes, “treats him as an equal and valuable part of ThunderClan. No matter what.”

Bluestar growled, but turned swiftly, making her way back to her den. He could tell that this discussion wasn’t over yet, but for now, Snowpaw could officially be known as a ThunderClan warrior in training.


End file.
